MisoHime

Author's Note:

Original Note:
It's a new chapter! For those of you who are actually reading this: thank you so much. I plan to be more active when it comes to writing these days as I've been struggling with insomnia lately. I would love to hear some feedback, but I have yet to receive any.

Updated 2016 Note:
This chapter was read and reviewed on the 16th April 2016.

I'm rather proud of myself for being so caught up to re-writing these old chapters lately. I've been doing at least one chapter a day, which is pretty awesome, considering how little time I actually have to do things, these days.

I also plotted out some parts for the future chapters today. So far, I like what I have, now I just have to make sure I like what I write, too.

Disclaimer: Naruto is Masashi Kishimoto's. And the inspired book for this story isn't mine either.

◊▫ 星の十字 ▫◊

Hoshina no Kurosu

San

間奏

Kansō

The morning after the auditions, Sakura woke up with profound joy in her belly and a small smile on her face. A sense of satisfaction was embedded in her bones. She couldn't remember the last time she had woken up feeling so happy.

The sensation lasted throughout the previous night and she had fallen asleep more than ready for the next day to arrive – a fact she found unusual, considering it would be a Wednesday. Typically, Wednesday's were the worst. All of her classes would carry on late into the evening, none of them interesting classes, especially not the hour of algebra that would kick start her morning.

Stretching like a lazy cat, Sakura eased a happy sigh, feeling her muscles loosen and joints crack. The golden rays of sun that peaked through her curtains highlighted the deep red walls of her bedroom - most of the space covered with different black and white posters of all the most famous actors known to man. The prints scattered throughout the expanse of the wall, ranging in sizes and variation of print mediums. Sai had once commented that she had overdone the collage until it was near impossible to see the colour of vermillion hidden underneath.

Lying in bed for another minute, Sakura's mind drifted off to recall yesterday's audition. There weren't many plays in her school - mostly because the drama department was considered relatively small in comparison to the Sports or Arts department. The last school play had been almost two to three years ago - back when she had been too young to audition. It was a rare case to have a play, but when a production was decided on, everybody attended to see it on opening night. With a tremendously well known play like 'Romeo and Juliet', Sakura could only imagine the monstrous scale of success Kurenai was aiming for.

Her phone beeped with an incoming message, which she ignored, and with a grin still intact, Sakura threw the covers back over her head and curled into a ball under the blankets, eyes shut tight in excitement and a squeal stifled into her sheets.

'I can't wait for school!'

With almost bewildered clarity, her eyes snapped open.

'Did I really just think that?'

She laughed quietly to herself, unfurling from the tangled covers and pushing the duvet off. The clock on her nightstand read 7:28 a.m.

She stood and stretched again, the knots on the back of her neck relaxing. Her good mood carried on as she went to the bathroom to wash up, her clothes hanging on the hook next to her vanity.

After going through her morning routine, Sakura glanced at the clock once more, smiling with expectancy as she counted:

'Three... Two... One...'

Just as the digital numbers changed to "8:00", the single chime of her home's doorbell rang, signalling someone's presence downstairs.

She laughed with amusement, her good mood buzzing as she moved past her door to hop down the stairs. The wood panels thumped lightly with her every step, and by the time she reached the door, her small smile had transformed to a full-out grin.

Sai stood by the foot of her doorway. His dark hair was slightly damp from his morning shower and his pale complexion was a little flushed from the weather outside. Dressed in simple clothes as he always was, his face was emotionless, until his eyes roved over her to the silly expression plastered onto Sakura's face.

A sarcastic smile appeared on his lips, "Feeling superbly ugly today, are you?"

The grin on her face remained unfazed, not bothering to reply, Sakura turned on the balls of her feet, leaving the door open behind her for Sai to pass through as she skipped back into the house. Her ponytail bounced with every movement, causing Sai to have dodge the wild pink locks that swung as she turned in order to avoid getting whipped in the face.

"You know, you can just come in. Every school morning for the past four years you've been here for breakfast at exactly 8:00 a.m. Why should you ring the doorbell? You know where the spare key is." Her voice was light and carefree, not checking if Sai had followed in her steps as she bounded into the kitchen.

Sai's long legs moved to beat the girl to the dining room. He didn't reply immediately, ignoring her slight frame as he left her trailing behind in his wake.

They moved in tandem to one another, not having to speak as Sakura sat down on one of the tall barstools by the island and watched as her best friend - who wandered over to the fridge to pull out a carton of orange juice. They had spent so many morning breakfasts with one another to move with familiarity.

Sai shut the fridge with his elbow and sauntered over to the cupboard overhead the stove to take out two glasses - placing one in front of Sakura. Her arms moved to pick the carton and proceeded to pour each of them a generous glass, ignoring one of his special "fake" smiles as he finally addressed her earlier statement.

"But, Ugly, if I didn't ring the doorbell, your dear mother would have a heart attack when she sees me making myself at home."

The pink haired girl rolled her green eyes at him, taking a sip out of her glass as the sound of footsteps met their ears.

"Sai, you should know that you're always welcome to make yourself at home here." A mature voice spoke.

Sakura's mother walked into the kitchen, her blonde hair sleeked back in her usual hairstyle. She was dressed in a well-cut suit that flattered her slender figure - a trait that she shared with her daughter.

Sai just smiled at the older female before drinking from his glass of juice.

Following only a few steps behind, Sakura's father walked in, bidding the two teens a good morning in a deep, jovial voice. He stopped by to plant a warm kiss on Sakura's forehead before moving to the fridge.

Her parents both worked on most days, and while Sakura did not see them as often as she used to, she still loved them very much. Her childhood was filled with memories of spending time with her father in his office as he worked, or watching her mother move around the kitchen, cooking dinner.

Haruno Mebuki moved to pour herself a cup of black coffee into her favourite mug, opening a drawer nearby to look for the sugar and cream.

Her father, Kizashi, continued to peruse the contents of their fridge, looking for leftovers or a microwaveable meal for a quick breakfast. There was no time to cook something - both of them would have to leave in a moment in order to beat the morning traffic to work.

All was peaceful for a few minutes, before Sakura's mother spoke in a hesitant tone, "Anata, don't forget our plans for tomorrow, we've promised Tsunade-sama that we would attend the charity benefit." Her eyes were cautious as she stirred sugar into her cup. For some reason, the act made Sakura nervous.

Sakura watched her parents, one hand tracing the condensation on her glass. Sai seemed to feel the tension as well, which he promptly covered up by intently reading over the nutrition label on the orange juice carton.

Kizashi didn't seem to notice the discomfort his wife displayed, nor the effects it had on the two younger occupants of the room. He shifted the contents of the fridge before pulling out an apple, one hand waving his agreement in the air, "Ah, yes, of course. Not a problem."

"About that…there is one thing that might be a bit of a problem..."

"Hmm..?" Her father didn't seem too concerned. He moved to the sink and washed the apple under the lukewarm water.

"I was talking to Kushina at the fundraiser the other day and she mentioned that…" Mebuki's voice was almost wary at this point, "... that the Uchiha's would also be attending."

At the mention of the name, Sakura flinched, her good mood from the earlier hour immediately fleeing along with her father's. His back stiffened almost instantly, hands pausing from their actions. The silence was suddenly heavy and Sai had abandoned his carton to shoot Sakura a knowing look. The sound of the running water from the sink faucet was the only think saving them from pin-drop silence.

They were all aware of what that particular name did to Sakura's father.

Her mother didn't seem to be faring any better. Her grip around the cup was tense, her eyes watched her husband's frozen form.

From her position, Sakura couldn't make out the expression on her father, but she could see the way his hands gripped the apple in a bruising grip, his nails digging deep into the ripe flesh with anger. He didn't bother to turn around, but his voice was cold as ice, brutal and harsh in the silence of the kitchen.

"Uchiha?"

Sakura's mother struggled to form her next answer in a neutral manner, her teeth nibbling her lips with unease, "Yes… Fugaku and Mikoto will be there…"

Sakura heard her father's sharp inhale, and he turned around from the sink, his expression barely concealing the rage.

His eyes swarmed with the ferocious emotion, his lips tight with stress. His mangled apple was still clutched in one hand as the other was clenched tightly to a fist.

Sakura and Sai exchanged a sticken look before they quietly excused themselves from what was bound to be a messy argument between her father and mother.

Haruno Kizashi's enraged voice followed them out the door.

A while after the morning dispute, Sakura and Sai parked by the roadside near the Konoha's most popular coffee shop to stop for a quick breakfast. They had both left their half-finished orange juices on the kitchen counter in their haste to avoid her father's outburst. The last thing they wanted was to be around when he started cursing about the Uchiha patriarch and refusing to attend the benefit tomorrow night. That, in turn, would have irritated Sakura's mother, who would abandon her peaceful morning demeanor to harshly reprimand her husband's insensitivity on upholding a promise.

They reached the door of the cozy cafe just as a group of juniors were leaving, the door jingling with the sound of the bell overhead.

The Konoha Java Hub was one of the neighbourhood's most popular hot spots. Nearly half of the teens in their school came here, usually on mornings before class or after school. It was a homey little cafe with a very hipster vibe to it. Old leather couches, bar stools and bean bags bursting with stuffing were scattered throughout the place. The tables on the main floor were a collection of low end tables that ranged from high end to old recyclables with coffee stains. The place was a mixing pot of odd things. Knick knacks and antiques decorated the shelves near the back wall, where a small platform was raised for performances that occurred every Saturday night. A stand with old magazines and books occupied the corner under the bulletin board - where different gossip articles and notices of apartments available for rent were pinned. The lighting were old industrial spotlights that hung from the ceiling at different heights. One December, one of the baristas had strung Christmas lights on the ceiling rungs, but nobody had bothered to take it down, leaving it there to this day.

People of all types sat around the cafe. The smell of roasted coffee beans and buttery pastry hovering around them. Sakura breathed in the aroma, her eyes closing in contentment as Sai moved around her to walk to the till.

This was their go-to pit stop – which they visited almost every morning when they needed a pick-me-up before classes.

"Chocolate Mocha?"

The rose haired girl flashed him a smile, nodding. With Sai getting their orders, Sakura wound her way past the crowd of caffeine-addicts to claim the seats at the only free table near the back windows. She weaved her way through the bodies, careful not to jostle anyone. Just as she was in reach of her destination a hand from one of the booths reached out to block her way.

Green eyes flickered down to a feminine arm that was wrapped around her wrist. She trailed her gaze from the red nail polish to come face to face with Karin – one of the school's most outgoing girls and a fellow actress. Her flame red hair was styled to its usual style, one side choppy, frizzled out in layers and the other side sleeked down with gel. Seated behind her was her were her circle of friends. Sakura didn't bother to acknowledge their presence, her confused eyes remaining on Karin.

She was careful to mask any feelings of annoyance from showing up on her face. She and Karin weren't exactly enemies, but they were far from best friends. Both of them were striving actresses, making them unspoken rivals of the craft. She had only exchanged a handful of words before, but not enough for Sakura not to feel weird at her sudden initiation.

"Um.. hello."

Karin threw her head back and let out a loud laugh. She casually flipped a lock of her hair over her shoulder, "Oh don't be so formal, Sakura! We're friends!"

'Now that's just rubbish' Sakura couldn't help but think.

Karin's fingers remained circled around Sakura's wrist, preventing her escape. She didn't seem to notice Sakura's discomfort or the fact that her green eyes were warily glancing to the empty seating a short distance away. If she didn't manage to get to it soon, another group might, leaving her and Sai seat-less.

"You were great yesterday, you know? Congratulations with getting the part of Juliet!" Behind the fake joy in Karin's eyes, Sakura saw the flash of envy.

Her viridian eyes narrowed slightly at the comment. She shouldn't have been surprised that Karin had watched her audition. She had been one of the first during try-outs, meaning she must have stayed behind to watch the rest of the girls who tried out for the part of Juliet. Including her.

Trying to be polite but yearning to end the awkward confrontation, Sakura smiled casually, "Thanks. Uh… I should be going. Sai is probably-"

At the possibility of Sakura's departure, a flash of panic appeared in the other girl's brown eye.

"What did you think about Romeo?" She blurted out. The girls behind Karin subtly busied themselves with their beverages, but leaned in slightly, their ears straining to hear every bit of the conversation.

Karin's eyes watched Sakura's expression with hawk-like sharpness from behind her red frames. Her expression was a mixture of concern, satisfaction and sadistic joy.

Sakura inwardly frowned. She did not like the other girl's expression. She was clearly looking for some sort of reaction, which made Sakura shift her weight with discomfort, uncertainty and suspicion. She had been about to ask for further clarification on the redhead's question before a cup of Chocolate Mocha was forced into her hands, making her flinch from the heat of the cup.

Sai towered over her from behind, his arm prying Sakura's captive arm away from Karin as he smiled with artificial friendliness.

"Good morning, please excuse us." With one hand around Sakura's and another balancing a tray of baked goods and his own beverage, Sai all but hustled Sakura away from the group of girls, most of them staring after with wide eyes.

Pink lips twisted into a suspicious scowl as she seated herself on the old, weathered couch. She remained silent, eyes narrowed, watching her best friend busy himself with the tray of food. His face was almost innocent when he chanced a glance over at her, catching the 'what-haven't-you-told-me' look she exuded.

The black-haired male sighed before replying "Sorry Ugly, I planned to tell you in a more..." He surveyed the crowded cafe, "... appropriate setting."

"Sai." Her tone was flat. There was no denying that there was something he was hiding from her. She didn't care much for secrets, but at the mention of Romeo from Karin, something akin to apprehensiveness churned in her stomach.

Despite always being extremely composed and in control of his emotions, Sai couldn't hide the dubiousness from his eyes.

"What is it?" Her teeth ground together in impatience as she tested him.

Her companion's dark eyes turned down to look at his mug of cappuccino, finger's distractedly stirring the slender spoon to play with the foam.

"This might not be the best place to tell you," He replied quietly, "your reaction would onto draw unnecessary attention."

The pinkette didn't reply. Her flat gaze bore a hole into Sai's perspiring forehead.

"Sakura..."

"Just spit it out!"

"But…"

"What is it?!" She hissed.

"Uchiha Sasuke is playing Romeo."

End Note:

Original Note:
Yeah... I know I left it as a clift hanger, but I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible! Thanks, if you're reading this story!

Updated Note:
My group mates from university are driving me crazy. The lecturers are driving me crazy. University itself is driving me crazy. It's only the first night of the weekend, but I already fear that I won't have enough time to finish my projects.

Someone. Please send help.

And as always, thank you for reading. Review, if you can.